Evaluation

Thank you all for your feedback. We’ll incorporate your responses and comments as we plan for next year.

What is the connection between Passover, social justice and the environment as you understand it?

– Not in 2 minutes, but I think I do understand it.

– All life is interconnected: social justice means caring for our fellow humans and all living things, as well as the planet that nourishes us.

– We are all descendants of slaves and oppresssion still continues and must be resisted today.

– no.

– Passover is the holiday of freedom from oppression and oppression can be defined in many ways but quite frankly I don’t think it has much to do with the environment.

– Interconnected – of sources of life. Together we survive and thrive or not at all.

– Oppression comes in many forms and when we oppress others by denying them enough to eat, a decent wage etc and allow others to make and use our resources excessively the environment and social justice suffer.

– Freedom implies responsibility and caring for each other and the earth are top Jewish priorities!

– Degradation of the environment enslaves all of us but disproportionaly impacts those who have the least, whose voices are not heard.

– No, I can’t (and I don’t mean this to be coy or critical)

– It is all about inerconenctedness.

– Passover is about connecting with the oppressed and many environmental justice issues are particularly hard on the oppressed/set up a world order in which individuals will continue to be oppressed.

– Sorry – it just doesn’t conenct for me.

– I loved the connection Rabbi Fred made that the first plague was Blood which is really pollution of the river.

– to me, it’s about recognizing the interconnectedness of social issues like poverty and how the environment is treated. Also recognizing how we’re all connected to the local environmental, even if we don’t live right on the Anacostia or Potomac rivers.

– They are so interwoven that you can’t have one without the other two.

– The connection between Pesach and social justice is clear and easy to articulate. A strong tie to the environment, while socially desirable, is too much of a stretch. In my judgment it dilutes the “freedom” message rather than effectively adding to it.

– The struggle for freedom includes making the world a better place for all. One area of real need for effort is in making our environment safe, beautiful and productive for all.

– I have to be honest and say that I find the connections being made a bit of a stretch — between Pesach and social justice — YES! But between all that and environmental concerns? No, I’m not sure I get the connection there — it seems forced to me. At best, I can see that the way we treat the environment affects others and not just our individual selves, and that those who fail to respect the earth tend also to fail to respect their fellow human creatures.

– There is both the liberation theme about certain environmental approaches freeing us from economic and political “bondage”, as well as the broader spiritual theme of showing respect for the bounty and making it available for future generations.

– I briefly heard what the connection was, but I can’t remember.

– As the Jews were freed from bondage, so we now free ourselves from bondage to things. This freedom allows us to
direct our efforts to helping others and to paying attention to sustaining our environment.

– The connections is that, we’re all interconnected!

Has this year’s Passover eco-justice theme enriched your understanding and/or practice of the holiday in some way?

– The Passover seder is a wonderful teaching ritual, since the concept of leaving a “narrow place” and going forth into freedom – and responsibility – is a universal theme. It’s important to me for my kids to feel connected to their Jewish roots and see the relevance and timeliness of this important

– I’ve been doing this kind of thing for some years.

– Haven’t had time to stop and ponder.

– Sort of a crazy year for us, so didn’t do as much Pesach planning as we would have liked. Also, our kids are very young.

– I’ve been reading Arthur Wascow and his Haggadot regularly for several years, so I already feel quite up to speed. But I am glad the news is spreading, and that we are seeing such dedication and actions in our local area, especially the Anacostia River and its neighbohoods.

– Refocussed me on the connection that isn’t usually so explicit

– I find that the eco theme leaves me completely cold for Pesach. I want to focus on traditional social justice themes

– The plagues are on our own doorsteps, in the food we eat and the air we breathe, the water we drink. And we can take simple steps in our own daily choices to turn them back.

– We didn’t attend a seder this year.

– I’ve been incorporating my own from a variety of Haggadah’s over the years

– See above connections.

– See comments above. Pesach’s theme of liberation is pretty rich and fertile ground already. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the environmental concerns — if it makes the holiday more meaningful for some folks, fine. It just doesn’t work in this context for me.

– I heard about the theme but didn’t take the time to read any flyers or articles and didn’t attend services because I was teaching.

– Made the holiday more pertinent.

For those who attended the 3/21 Eco-Justice Boat Ride – What impacted you the most and how will you follow up on what you learned and experienced?

– Actually being on the river made the message work. I do want to contribute to this effort.

– smelling the sewer going past the treatment plant, and seeing the holes where the sewage overflow dumps into the Anacostia. My son also noticed that, at high tide, the water had lapped over the shore at Hanes Point.

– Connection with the Anacostia river keeper, and joining a community of activists across heretofore distinct communities.

– Great speakers, with great energy, intersecting from various sectors;, interfaith, connecting to faith groups; harnessing Passover/Seder; actually travelling down Anacostia,seeing is believing; potentially beautiful river body; hopeful possibiliies for reclaiming the river ; graphic impact of good and bad rivers on human health and quality of life. Rabbi Fred shone .

– Appreciated the multiple speakers that engaged us the entire trip; am more sensitized &will be more inclined to participate in activities promoting care of the environment

– The interplay of the river, the Chesapeake Bay and life in the marginal areas of our city came together for me. The disgrace in allowing this degradation to take place and take so long to correct in our nation’s capital hit me hard.

– the impact of pollution on socio-economically deprived parts of the metropolitan region

– How recycling everything possible does make a difference.

– Every time it rains I now think of the Anacostia. I would like to install a rainbarrel, but the garden we are planting is uphill so I’m concerned about getting the water up there without any waterpressure.

– Seeing the shmootz in the river had the strongest impact on me.

– Listening to the local activists and how passionate they are about their community.

– Greatest impact….hearing about the youth working on green issues.

– Being on the river and seeing the contrasting beautiful vs. messed-up areas was eye opening. Not totally sure what to do to follow up, although I would like to support the efforts of the young man who went to Africa and worked with the villagers who made bags from old plastic grocery bags.

– I was unaware of the particular water-treatment issues that were highlighted, especially the problems with stormwater runoff and sewage-treatment plants.

– The commitment of the speakers to the river. I’ll start getting involved in some of their activities.

For those who attended the 3/21 Eco-Justice Boat Ride – What did you think of the logistics (publicity, coordination, food, cost, the boat itself, etc) and what might be improved?

– Logistics, food etc. were great.

– Cost and publicity were good. The seating in the boat was a bit cramped.

– Very good, very efficient.
There was not enough room for everyone to hear the speakers.

– It was better on all fronts than I expected. Many of us were not dressed warmly enough, however, so more heads-up about that even though the day was warm.

– nothing. it was one of the best AS events i’ve ever attended

– It was very reasonable. No suggestions for improvement

– Too many speakers – the best 3 were NPS and River Keeper and Anacostia Wathershed. More time to enjoy the river/nature – maybe a stop at some point to get off for a hike. Foster a little more schmoozing/bonding with fellow congregants.

– Everything was perfect from my point of view.

– Worked great!

– all excellent. How did you keep the cost so low???

– Excellent all around.

– You did an outstanding job. I had some stress locating the actual harbor address, but we are a geographically-challenged people. Rabbi Fred was really on his game; and much thanks to Alissa.